Empire of Dirt
by Mt. Kelemenjaro
Summary: The events of Logan but with a different setting. The mutants haven't died off. Wolverine is not dying. X23 escapes Transigen and must find her way in life and deal with her emotional trauma.
1. Chapter 1

**I know this is said a lot but this is truly my first fanfiction. I have been an avid reader for years but have never actually had the urge to write until now. I'm considering this a pilot chapter for this story. I was inspired after watching Logan and I hope to continue writing this story. I don't have an update schedule because of my experience so it'll be touch and go until my life sorts itself out. I may end up editing this chapter later if I feel the need. I hope you enjoy.**

 **I don't own any of the characters from the Marvel universe. This is purely a "For fun" read.**

* * *

She woke to the smell of death. It permeated the air like a fog. With her enhanced senses, it was magnified tenfold. She couldn't remember what happened. One moment she was reattempting suicide the next she was in the remains of a building. An explosion? She was laying in a pile of rubble, that much she knew. Rolling her head to the side, she could see the smoke rising from several fires that hadn't had time to die out yet. Which means that whatever it was had happened recently.

A shudder ran through her as an image of a white lab coat forced her to get up. Pain would follow if she did not. A stoic expression fell on her face as she recalled a nasty incident when she physically couldn't get up after training and she was shocked until she blacked out. Taking a shaky breath, she rose and saw the remainder of the building, or lack thereof. Not a single person was in sight. The tall grass fields surrounding the demolition zone were littered with debris. Various machines all lie broken with their insides gutted and wires lying everywhere.

Standing up, she knew she couldn't stay where she was. She had been taught by Transigen that if you don't move, more pain will come. Wiping her brunette hair out of her eyes, she headed towards the distant tree line. There was no need to check for other survivors. None of her fellow cellmates had been given the same abilities as her. Their mutations didn't involve self healing skin or an adamantium skeleton. Not that she considered any of them friends, but they were the only ones who had been through similar experiences as her. She was honestly surprised she survived the explosion at all. She had underestimated the strength of her healing abilities so perhaps Transigen had as well. She would mourn for her cellmates later after she was safe. For the first time in her life, she was alone. Alone and free.

Running towards the treeline X23 realized that she had no idea what to do with her newfound freedom. This wasn't a training exercise with clear cut goals. There weren't any convoys to protect. No targets to kill. No one telling her what to do. Deciding to see how the situation developed, X23 hid in a ditch near the edge of the trees. From her vantage point, she could see the entirety of the ruins without being easily visible to anyone who may be watching her. It had occurred to her that this could be some new test that Transigen had thought up to test her, but she could smell the death of her cellmates and knew that Transigen wouldn't have wasted valuable "assets" just to test her.

Patience wasn't something X23 had been gifted with but it had been beaten into her many times by the scientist at Transigen. Transigen. The very name sent chills down her spine and made her hackles raise in anger.

To the general public Transigen is just an American company formed to explore the positive use of the mutant gene. However secret underground sections of the company were created to exploit mutant powers in any way possible and as inhumanly as they wanted. X23 knew she wasn't the first of her kind but she did overhear the doctors say that she was the only one to survive the adamantium bonding process. That was one thing that separated X23 from her cellmates, the most painful experience of her twelve years of life. Nightmares of that experience plagued her every night.

After several hours, a distant thrumming could be heard. Before long a helicopter arrived, circled the wreckage, and landed. X23 watched as a man stepped out of the helicopter followed by a group of reavers, the amputated thugs that Transigen typically used to guard their mutant projects. They do most of Transigen's dirty work and get paid in the form of high tech prosthetics. Many of them are former military men but a few bounty hunters and regular thugs are mixed within their ranks, but all of them are extremely dangerous to the average person. X23 knows she could take all of them in her prime, but currently she was still recovering from the damage of the explosion.

Hunkering down, X23 watched as the men searched the wreckage. After an hour they seemed to give up and headed back the way they came. After waiting an hour longer, X23 gave a sigh of relief and headed deeper into the forest.

* * *

When X23 was Transigen's grasp, she had hated the quiet of her cell. It gave her too much time to think. Too much time to brood over the cards she had been dealt. The quiet of the cage made her angry and often got her into trouble with the reavers which only resulted in a deep seated hatred for everything associated with Transigen.

The gentle quiet of the forest however, made X23 feel more alive than ever before. Her senses felt attuned to everything as if nature itself was apart of her. The forest calmed the beast that dwelled within her.

Walking between the trees, she thought of where she should go. She couldn't stay here because Transigen would surely find her so near to their demolished base. She remembered overhearing a reaver talking about several Transigen bases in the south. The very thought of going near them again made X23 want to cry which she did. She let the tears fall shamelessly as she trudged her way across a creek. She hated how the Transigen treated her as if she wasn't even a person. They couldn't even be bothered to give her a proper name. She was only ever called X23 like some machine.

She eventually reached a clearing and glanced at the setting sun. Putting it to her left, X23 headed away from her past and into the future.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter two. As I said, the update schedule is very abstract. I may update every week or every month month depending on how busy I am. I tried to write more for this chapter since the first one was more of a prelude. I also edit all my chapters myself so it takes a lot longer to get chapters out. I'm currently trying to improve my writing dealing with feelings. I am not the most emotional person so writing a character with such strong negative emotions is difficult. Please let me know what you guys think.**

 **I do plan on having Wolverine show up, just maybe not for a few more chapters. I want to build X23's, soon to be called Laura, character before introducing fan favorite X-men (Yes that is plural but Logan will be the main one). This story is about Laura after all.**

 **Reviews are appreciated.**

"2"

After several minutes of walking the excitement of the day finally caught up to X23. Her limbs felt like lead and the fading light made trekking through the wilderness increasingly dangerous. Her eyes were beginning to drift shut. With no other options she took shelter.

An evergreen tree had fallen over in a storm long past and had landed on another tree. The event caused a cave to be formed with its branches which is where X23 made her temporary home. The packed needles were like a feather mattress considering Transigen only let her sleep on cold steel cots. With a final sigh, X23 let the comforts of sleep take her.

* * *

A strange noise jolted X23 awake. It sounded like several people were whistling nearby. Was it Transigen setting some trap for her? Was this a new threat? Sniffing quietly, she detected no threat. There wasn't any scent of humans. Peeking her head slowly out of her nook, X23 took several glances at her surroundings before deciding it was safe. She stepped out but stopped when she saw the source of the noise.

A dozen birds were sitting on the branches around her, all of them creating different whistling tunes. X23 had never heard such a strange yet hopeful sound before and she didn't understand why the birds felt the need to sing. It wasn't like there was any reason for them to be making their noises. Perhaps the birds just wanted to sing because they were happy? The thought made X23's blood boil. What right did these small insignificant creatures have to be happy? Why did she not get to be happy? What godlike force had put her into this world just to suffer? It wasn't fair!

Yelling, she charged at the nearest bird who was almost too slow to avoid the two adamantium claws that sprang from her knuckles. The rest of the birds quickly left after almost witnessing their brethren's demise. X23 thrashed at the air for several seconds before falling to her knees. The waterworks flowed freely as she knelt in the dirt. Why did she have to suffer so much? Why couldn't she be happy enough to sing for no reason? X23 could feel the mental scarring that Transigen had left on her mind. She knew that no amount of mutant healing could fix the horrors that she had been through. Her only chance was to start over with her newfound freedom. Resolving to deal with her mental problems later she stood up and continued north.

* * *

It took several days before X23 saw any sign of civilization. She had been trained to eat and drink raw food and water so survival was actually quite easy. During that time she found a peace in the forest. The surrounding wildlife made her feel alive with all its little sounds. The water trickling in a stream, the animals rustling in the underbrush, she even learned to enjoy the birds singing. The trees swaying in the wind would make a soft rustling sound that she found particularly soothing.

It was during one of those windy days that she stumbled upon a black expanse of pavement. It stretched as far as she could see in both directions before being swallowed by the trees. Knowing that she would get away from Transigen faster if she found a ride she decided to head to the right. The plan was simple, when someone came along and stopped for her she would knock them out and take their vehicle. Then she would drive to the next city and steal another one until she got far enough North. Hopefully Transigen wouldn't catch her scent. She wasn't comfortable with taking from other people but she decided it was necessary for her survival. That was the whole point of her life right? Survival.

Just as she thought that, a hum could be heard coming from behind her. Turning her head, X23 saw an approaching car. It slowed as it neared her and the passenger window rolled down. A friendly smile was the first thing to greet her as the car rolled to a stop next to her. A dark skinned woman and assumably her husband smile at her.

"Are you lost" the woman asks in a kind tone.

X23 shrugs her shoulders, deciding that talking might not be the best thing for her to do. She didn't get much socialization during her time with Transigen. Almost none in fact. They didn't even let her talk with her other cellmates. She had spoken a few times while walking in the woods but she found her own voice to be strange. She didn't think it sounded bad but she had the feeling that it was harsher than what these people were used to. X23 didn't want to scare them off before she could take their car.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the couple spoke in a string of questions.

"Where are you from?"

"Do you live near here?"

"Do you need a ride somewhere?"

"Do you have someone looking for you?"

The last two questions caught her attention. If she could get a ride then she wouldn't have to steal anything. That would help keep her off Transigen's radar. The last question stopped her thought process. No one was looking for her. She didn't have any family to speak of, no one cared if she was lost. No one could ever love her. Her eyes began to water as she stared at the ground in shame. These people wouldn't be so nice if they knew what she was. An animal. An unlovable freak created for the sole purpose of killing. A sob escaped her throat and suddenly a hand fell on her shoulder. The woman had gotten out of the car and was kneeling in front of her.

"It's okay. We didn't mean to scare you. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. We just need to know if you need a ride home"

Nodding, X23 let the tears fall. Suddenly a warm embrace enveloped her and she stiffened in shock. The woman was hugging her. Never before had someone made a loving gesture towards her and now this woman who didn't even know her was giving her comfort. Warmth seeped from the woman's embrace and X23 wanted more. Wrapping her arms around the strangers waist, she felt happy for the first time in her life.

After several moment the woman let go and guided her toward the car. The door open by another hand and a third stranger greeted her.

"This is our son, Nate. I'm Kathryn and the driver is my husband, Will. We're the Munson family. "

Nate stuck out his hand.

After several seconds of hesitation, he spoke to X23.

"It's okay. I don't bite."

Before the irony of his words could sink in, the Kathryn urged X23 into the seat as Nate shifted to the other side of the car. The Kathryn shut the door behind her and X23 watched as Nate grabbed a strange strap from the side of his seat and pulled it across his body. The metal end made a click sound as he attached it to another box set in the seat. The seat belt confused X23 as she attempted to copy him.

Seeing her struggle, Nate reached over strapped her in. The second it clicked into place, panic set in. X23 clenched the arm rest as she started to hyperventilate. Her heart rate doubled and adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her mind flashed back to when Transigen had strapped her down right before infusing the adamantium into her bones. Faces covered in white masks invaded her mind as she thrashed in her seat. She couldn't breathe. The cold sweat of fear covered her body as she recalled the experience. The doctors hadn't even given her the proper anesthetics and her healing mutation had kept her awake through the entire process. The grinding of the drills on her bones was seared into her memory like a brand. The sound had been high pitched and grating but it hadn't compared to the pain that had come with it.

The claws in her hands started to slide out of her hands in preparation to slash herself free when Nate finally reacted to her outburst. Reaching over he clicked the release button and watched as the panic quickly faded from X23's eyes. He glanced at his parents who were looking at her in pity. Nate glanced back to her in confusion. Why had this strange girl reacted that way. What type of past included a fear of seat belts? The implications were dark.

"If you're not comfortable with the seat belt, I can just drive slower," Will finally said, recognizing that this strange girl must have some mental problems. A damaged psyche maybe.

Seeing her relax, he resolved to discover why the girl was scared after they got home. He decided that taking her home would be the only option right now seeing that town was too far to reach tonight and the girl didn't say where she lived. Western Kansas wasn't the most populated of places and she would be safe for the night at their farm. They would take her to the police station tomorrow since reception was almost impossible to get out here and their home phone was still being repaired after the wires shorted out. With a plan set, he shifted gears and headed home.


End file.
